Authors:

Warren Christensen(North Dakota State University)

John Thompson(University of Maine)

The earliest results in Physics Education Research demonstrated the
challenges facing students in understanding the graphical interpretations of
slope, derivative, and area under curves in the context of kinematics. As
part of ongoing research on mathematical challenges that may underlie
documented physics difficulties, we developed and administered a brief
survey on single- and multivariable calculus concepts to students within
physics and mathematics classrooms at both the introductory and advanced
levels. Initial findings among students in multivariable calculus show that
as many as one in five students encounter some type of difficulty when asked
to rank the slopes at five different points along a single path. We will
present further data on the extent to which students in a first semester
calculus course and an introductory calculus-based physics course encounter
similar challenges.

*Supported in part by the National Science Foundation, the Maine Economic Improvement Fund and the Maine Academic Prominence

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2010.MAR.H42.4